


The Flowers That You Pick

by 4Eirlys



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Heracles is a dick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:42:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27566191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4Eirlys/pseuds/4Eirlys
Summary: After the Battle of Olympus Percy leaves the party for some much needed air, uncomfortable of being called a hero and full of guilt for taking the credit which isn't his to take. A meeting on a balcony makes him determined to change history's view on the demigods that were treated wrongly. Because he is not the hero, they were, the ones that fell: Zoe Nightshade, Luke Castellon, Ethan Nakamura...
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Artemis & Percy Jackson, Artemis & Zoë Nightshade (Percy Jackson)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 49





	The Flowers That You Pick

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set after the Battle of Olympus in the Last Olympian. It is AU in the sense that I imagined what happened in the party and what might have happened behind the scenes if Percy had taken a moment to let himself realise the number of people he had lost, or sacrificed themselves in order for him to reach this point. 
> 
> It does contain information from Heroes of Olympus, but there are no spoilers.

After the Twelve Olympians repaired their thrones if they needed fixing, checked to see if everything in their domain was satisfactory and that there were no immediate casualties that needed to be seen to, a cavalier like atmosphere on Mount Olympus reigned. The immortals wandered through the huge crowds that had gathered, mingling with demigods, satyrs, dryads and nymphs alike as all drank nectar. Ambrosia too, was in plentiful supply, and often a poorly concealed worried Godly parent could be seen hovering surreptitiously near groups of demigods, unobtrusively attempting to keep a close eye on the amount of ambrosia consumed and the healing benefit it wrought.

Many tearful reunions were witnessed, such as when Juniper and Grover ran to each other, before G-Man broke down over the number of nature spirits that had been lost. As Lieutenant of the Hunt, Thalia almost collapsed with relief when she found out that most of the Hunters had survived, though there were a few who had serious injuries and some had fallen in battle. The children of Ares had uncharacteristic looks of guilt and shame on their faces as they attempted to apologise for their pride, before being accepted into heartfelt hugs from the other campers. Those that had fought on the other side stood alone, bearing their discomfort as a shield against the jovial atmosphere until a sibling greeted them warmly and they were accepted back into the fold. There was still awkwardness and a difference of opinion, but it was a start.

Godly parents carefully checked each and every one of their children, the usually concealed worry plain to see on their faces and those that had been unclaimed suddenly found themselves with a large number of siblings. The unhappy and angry expressions they bore finally melted away, revealing carefree expressions that Percy had not seen adorn their visage for a long time.

Many people came to congratulate the son of Poseidon, with some of the lesser and slightly more down to earth Gods taking Percy aside to thank him quietly over his treatment of their children, regardless of what side they were on. The only Big Twelve immortal that he spoke to was Hades, who thanked him for gaining respect in the eyes of his siblings. But even he, like the rest of the Big Twelve, held a knowing glint in his eyes as he saw him and several times Percy would see the other Gods and Goddesses watching him from out of the corner of his eye, smirking as if they knew something he didn't.

Speaking of Gods, Percy ducked as he caught a glimpse of a tall, raven haired man with electric blue eyes looming over the crowd who was scanning the people around him, searching for someone. Quickly, the Son of Poseidon pushed his way past several Satyrs that were slightly tipsy, judging by their dance moves and insistence on flirting with the less than amused Hunters. Though none had retaliated violently. Yet. But Percy didn't concern himself with the Satyrs, and didn't bother to apologise in his desperation to escape. He was in no mood to play nice and meet Heracles, the apparent greatest hero of them all.

Stepping out of the throne room, he did not stop to relish the cool breeze which met him, though he was grateful to it all the same. Picking a path at random which led away from the noise and the light, he slightly offered up a thanks when he realised that it led to a balcony which overlooked Mount Olympus.

He wanted peace.

He needed to see the stars.

The Son of Poseidon stood in front of the railings which marked the edge of the balcony, his back unusually ram rod straight as he tilted his head back. Directing his gaze to the night sky, he let his eyes wander across the constellations. They gazed back, deliciously cool and indifferent in their reception to him.

"I see you didn't want to speak to Heracles."

The voice came from behind him, disrupting him from his attempt to find some kind of solace in all of the chaos that his life had suddenly become.

"No, milady." Percy confirmed, turning to look at Artemis as she came to halt beside him. He made a low bow, which the Goddess acknowledged with an almost impatient wave of her hand before resuming his original position of searching the stars for answers.

He was surprised to see the Maiden Goddess here; Percy had expected her to see to her Hunters first, perhaps singling out potential new recruits for the Hunt from demigods that had their innocence torn from them far too soon. He understood that she might have wanted to see the stars, but he certainly hadn’t predicted that she would willingly share the sight with him, a _boy_. Or man, as she had taken to calling him after their last encounter.

"And why doesn't the Hero of Olympus want to meet the Patron of Heroes?"

"Because, he may be a God but he is _no_ hero." Percy commented bitterly, finding that the anger burning within him at the mention of the Patron of Heroes giving him enough confidence to lift his head and stare resolutely into silver irises. "Neither of us were. We are both credited for events as if we completed them single handedly: We did not. "

"Why do you not think you are a hero, Perseus?" Artemis queried. She cocked her head to the side and the son of Poseidon found it was eerie to see a thoughtful, yet calculating expression on a child's face.

"Because if I was..." Percy trailed off and once more he tilted his head back to gaze upon the Huntress' constellation as he struggled to order his thoughts in a coherent way, so that the immortal beside him could understand. "If I was a hero, a _true_ hero, then less people would have suffered. If I had been stronger... smarter.... _faster_ , then I would have worked out what Beckendorf was planning and took him with me, saving him. I would have worked out a way to take Calypso with me off that cursed island. I would have saved Annabeth from the Manticore and prevented Bianca and Zoe from dying-"

Suddenly the moonlight solidified, becoming harsh in its embrace. A loud CRACK boomed across the mountain as Artemis slapped him across the face. If he didn’t have the curse of Achilles, Percy was convinced that his jaw would have been broken and dislocated, with most of his teeth falling out from the blow. As it was, it stung like Hades, but it did little for him to regret his statement. He had meant every word of it, and there was _nothing_ that the Goddess could do to change that.

"Don't you _dare_ take Zoe's brave sacrifice away from her!" The Goddess of the Hunt shouted angrily, holding herself eerily still. The silver light she naturally emitted intensified and began to quiver, the act beginning to hurt Percy’s mortal eyes as it betrayed the Goddess’ rage. "She took the quest _knowing_ her fate, demonstrating true bravery like a _real_ hero, being greater than Jason, Orion, Perseus, or Heracles. Do _not_ lessen her actions now!"

" _Exactly_!" Percy exclaimed, his eyes shining with unshed tears from the pent up emotion from years of pain and suffering that was finally being freed. " _She's_ the hero of the quest issued to rescue you from Atlas which I received the credit for. _Silena_ was the hero who brought the Ares Cabin to fight, who inspired _Clarisse_ to fight the Drakon, earning Ares' blessing. _Nico_ was the one to bring honour and acceptance to Hades, proudly showcasing that even the denizens of the Underworld could be heroes and that they shouldn’t be outcasts. Luke - _Luke_ was the one to defeat Kronos, not _I_!"

Percy was breathing heavily now, but he could not, would not stop, for it needed to be said. It had all been bottled up inside him for too long and now it flowed loose like a torrent of water, smashing away all of the defences that he had built up over the years in order to function as the leader and hero that camp desperately wanted him to be. Reaching out, he clenched the balcony rail tight, gaining a faint sense of satisfaction as a hairline crack appeared. It felt good to punish _something_ for the acolades that had been bestowed unwarrated.

"There are children lying broken and _dead_ down in the rubble, who were fighting their parents’ war and not their own, yet _I_ am the one who is receiving acclaim for their actions! _They_ are the heroes, not me. I did my duty because of that dam prophecy and that if I didn't, then Thalia, or Nico would be forced to complete it and they didn’t deserve to suffer any more. But they, those _children_ down there; they fought because they thought it was the _right_ _thing_ _to_ _do_. Because they believed - they _believed_ that it _didn't_ _matter_ if they lost their lives, because it would be worth it. Olympus, the parents that _never_ paid enough attention to them because of some _petty_ rules, was worth it. That their stupid _,_ immortal lives meant _more than_ _their_ _own_."

The son of Poseidon could taste the disgust that hung in the air after his final sentence rang out. Taking in great, shuddering gasps of air a tear trickled down his cheek as he thought of the many that had fallen in battle. He only had the honour of calling some of them his friends, but he wished that he had made the effort to get to know the other Demigods, Satyrs and countless nature spirits better. The courage that he had felt only seconds before had evaporated now and he refused to meet the Goddess' eyes. A bitter laugh escaped him, surprising Artemis as the possibility of turning into a jackalope for his insolence became a reality.

"It's just," he said quietly, the fight going out of him now that he accepted his fate. He needed to get the words out, to be able to clear the air. Otherwise he would never be able to begin the process of healing, even if he would be stuck as a flying rabbit at the time.

" _It's not fair_. It’s not fair that it's always the best people that get the worst luck. Monsters die and eventually they reform, getting to live a thousand lifetimes. Humans die and if we're lucky, we will get into Elysium. If we're brave, we would reach the Isle of the Blest. But if we are deemed unworthy, if we are deemed _average_ , as if that was a terrible thing, then eternity is spent wandering in the Fields of Asphodel, forever doomed in your attempts to remember who you are."

The Moon Goddess was strangely silent after Percy finished. He gulped as he felt the silence after his speech increase, idly wondering if she was doing it on purpose to gain the satisfaction of seeing him squirm before charging him with rudeness and ill manners and sentencing him to be a jackalope for evermore. Well, he was _not_ going to give it to her. With his newfound resolution, he squarely met her gaze now. He had meant every sentiment that had been spoken and if he was to be punished for it then so be it.

"Tell me Perseus," Artemis said suddenly, her voice unusually tight. "If you walked through a meadow, which flowers would you pick?"

Percy stared at her for a moment, frowning in confusion. His brain shuddered to a halt as he failed to comprehend the abrupt change in topic and his mouth dropped open slightly. Seeing his reaction, Artemis smirked.

"I might not be as... _vocal_ with my affirmation towards plants as Aunt Demeter and Persephone are, but I am still the Goddess of the Wild. Now answer my question; if you walked through a meadow, which flowers would you pick?"

Percy felt uncomfortable now. He had a hard time expressing his emotions and thoughts at the best of times, having a heart to heart chat with the man hating Goddess made it infinitely harder. He parted his lips to answer, only to find his mouth unexpectedly dry. It took several swallows before he felt he could attempted to speak again, this time succeeding.

"The best ones."

Unexpectedly, the Goddess of Archery turned away from Percy and lifted her face to the night sky, the stars casting their silvery glow on her. It was a gaze filled with regret as he watched her eyes automatically find the constellation almost directly above them, the silver softened slightly at the sight.

" _Exactly_ ," she whispered, smiling sadly at the Huntress. "They were chosen over the others because they had surpassed them. Those that remain were no less beautiful, but they simply need a little more time to produce a blossom that would be worthy to choose."

The Goddess of the Stars reached out with her left hand and smoothly twisted her wrist, encircling the constellation of the Huntress. To Percy’s astonishment, the constellation shrunk as Artemis brought her hand towards her chest, clutching them all the while. Unconsciously, he took a step towards her, though thankfully he still had the presence of mind to ensure that their bodies made no contact as he stared transfixed at the remains of his friend nestled in her cupped hands.

“Zoe was a resilient woman. Most would be broken after what that monster Heracles did to her, but instead she sought me out and she _thrived_. Meeting you two millennia later, helping her to see that not all men are such cruel, egocentric swine caused her to bloom into a flower that could intoxicate even the most heartless of men. Zoe _knew_ her fate when she volunteered for the quest to save me from Atlas and the sky. The Fates ensured that her sacrificed would be honoured, and that she would not bear the humiliation of being picked by one who was unworthy.”

Passing her right hand gently over her left, the Goddess of the Hunt sighed as she briefly caressing the stars that continued to lie nestled in her hand before. She remained like that for a moment, before she brought her left hand to her mouth, flattening her palm as she exhaled softly. They both stared in pained silence as they followed the path of Zoe as she swirled through the invisible current back to their position in the night sky, growing all the while. It was with a strange reluctance that Percy stepped back to resume his original position of reviewing the stars, allowing the Goddess a semblance of privacy. When she turned to look at him, it was a little girl who had seen empires rise and fall for millennia named Artemis who gazed at him.

“I miss my Lieutenant Nightshade every day, but I do not question her death. Yes, she was chosen by the Fates, but they had the grace to allow her to reach full bloom first. I know she has achieved Elysium and that she is happy with how her life turned out. In the end, that is all that we can ask of her. We cannot and _will not_ take that happiness away from her, or from the other heroes that have and will fall, Perseus.”

Her gaze was unyielding as her eyes locked with his, silently demanding an answer. The son of Poseidon’s throat had begun to constrict as Artemis spoke and by the time she had finished he could barely take in a breath. He nodded slowly, the only action that he could take which indicated his (albeit unwilling) agreement due to emotions overwhelming him. If Percy hadn’t been watching her so carefully, he might have missed the relief that passed briefly across her silver orbs, before the Goddess of the Hunt let out a carefully controlled breath, her shields which she had let down due to Zoe already going back up.

Suddenly, ruining the newfound peace and understanding that was now shared between the demigod and the Goddess, lightning flashed across the night sky, promptly followed by a boom of thunder. Percy winced, wondering who exactly had made Zeus angry.

"The Council has been called. I hope you know what you are going to ask for; it's time for you to receive your reward." The Goddess of Virginity stated. She added in an almost conversational tone, as if they were discussing such banalities as the weather, "They expect you to accept their offer of immortality."

It all made sense now; the knowing glint in Hades' eyes as he thanked Percy by not excluding and judging his children, the smirks on the other Twelve’s faces that were always present. Others would be proud, excited that they could live forever. But instead, Percy's stomach clenched and he had to force down the bile that rose in his throat as he thought of leaving his mother behind. His friends. Gods, _Annabeth_.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Percy’s presumtious question was met with silence. To be honest, he was surprised that he hadn’t been turned into a jackalope, but he supposed that it had been a long day for both of them. But eventually, before he offended her by zoning out completely, Artemis spoke, her voice as soft as the stars.

"You are right. Zoe _was_ a hero. She never got the recognition, or the acceptance she deserved. It’s time to change that."

She began to walk away back up the path towards the Throne room. The son of Poseidon watched her go, clutching at the last few precious seconds he had alone before he too, returned to the party. Halting at the top of the flight of stairs to the temple, the stars seemed to gain in intensity and shine brighter as the Goddess prepared to teleport to the Throne room. Unexpectedly, she made a half turn, opening her mouth one last time.

"But you Percy… You are a hero as well. Because you didn't give five years of your life to save Olympus and Western civilization in addition to achieving the accomplishments you have done for glory, or fame. It was not an act to achieve attention, nor a punishment ordained by the Gods."

"But I had -"

"No." Artemis rebutted firmly, turning around to face him fully as her form continued to glow brighter. Wisely, the son of Poseidon shut his mouth, his retort dying in his throat as he beheld the look in her eyes. They eyes showed the millennia that she had been alive for, so unnatural in a child’s body. "You did it to save others the pain, to lessen their burden. And that makes you the greatest hero of them all."

Percy turned away and shut his eyes as a silver-white blinding flash took place. After the light faded, he opened them.

She was gone.

Percy breathed deeply, before searching out the Huntress one last time with renewed (albeit reluctant) recognition and understanding, with Artemis' words on her rebounding in his head. With shock, he realised that she had used his preferred name and an unexpected feeling of pride and honour overcame him briefly.

Zoe Nightshade, like Luke, Ethan and perhaps even Silena, never felt accepted because of the actions of their parents. They were all heroes. It was time everybody knew that.

The voices of Luke Castellan and Ethan Nakumara echoed in his head.

Yes, Percy Jackson, Hero of Olympus knew _exactly_ what he was going to wish for.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this when I was in sixth form, after being haunted by a quote:
> 
> "Why do the best people die?"
> 
> "When you walk through a garden, which flowers do you pick?"
> 
> "The most beautiful ones."


End file.
